Because I loved You
by stareyedsaggi
Summary: Something happened that changed the lives of the three friends altogether. Something that ripped them apart. Something that caused even death. It wasn't possible to drift back to the old times now...or was it? Chapter 2 and 3 UPDATED!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.Though I would love to.Who wouldn't? But seriously, the credit for all the characters goes to J.K.Rowling. You are the best!**

**Summary: Something happened that changed the lives of the Harry, Ron And Hermione altogether. Something that ripped them apart. Something that caused even death. It wasn't possible to drift back to the old times now...or was it?**

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**Azkaban** had a horrible and justified reputation. Located in the middle of the North Sea, Azkaban had some magic to it that hid it from the view of the muggles. Its remote location was more of a precaution than a safety measure. The mass presence of the dementors, who guarded the prison, rendered the inmates incapable of happiness and forced them to relive their worst memories, as they became gradually helpless and very often severely insane. Dementors were extremely difficult even to injure. The only spell effective against them was the Patronus Charm, which only repelled them, however it didn't kill them.

She was crouched in a dark corner of the cell. The cell was eerie and unpleasant. A pungent smell invaded the cell. She felt as if the dementors had made sure that she was as uncomfortable as possible. She didn't know the time of the day. But she was sure that she had been here for at least two days. An expected tear rolled down her cheeks. She lifted her head up slowly squinting as a bright light made its way to her eyes. Her life already felt miserable. She dreaded as the dementors guarding her cell looked at her. She sat silently and crouched her head back down hoping they will think that she was asleep. But she knew pretty well that it was not going to stop them from sucking the little amount of happiness from her.

"Happiness," she thought. "What was it?" Did she really feel even a millimeter cube of happiness after what had happened?

She shook her head and let the tears flow. She didn't deserve to live. She had committed a murder, after all. She had muttered the killer curse at him. At the one she loved so much. At him, who she had thought was her soul mate. "Why? Why did you cheat us?" she silently asked him in her mind.

Suddenly she felt cold, very cold. She felt her breath catch in her throat. The sensation was familiar and she knew what was going to happen. Her stomach contracted. Her mind screamed. She could feel the creature laugh at her as she struggled to think of happy thoughts. "Think. Think" her brain said but instead her mind was hearing some other voice… a man's, and she very well recognized it.

_"__I can't believe this. You sold us out?" Harry bellowed._

_He smirked. "I am really sorry Harry. So what are you going to do to me? Kill me?" he taunted._

_Harry raised his wands and pointed at his chest. Harry looked into his eyes for a moment and then pulled his wand down. _

_"__Can't do it, can you?"_

_"I am not like you" _

_He laughed, a high-pitched laugh. _

_"__You are right. I am not like you." _

_He raised his wand at Harry. Harry's eyes widened._

_"__You are not…" _

_"I am. Ava…" _

_"__Avada Kedavra"_

_A jet of green light flashed through. Harry opened his eyes soon enough to see the look of shock on his best friend's face as he clutched his chest and collapsed._

_"__Ron!" Harry screamed. He turned back momentarily to see Hermione standing behind him. She was pale and she stood still, her wand still raised towards where Ron had been standing a moment ago._

_Harry walked towards her and shook her gently. She remained silent for a moment before falling down on the floor. _

_"__I killed him," she screamed pointing towards Ron's dead body. "Oh god Harry! I killed him."_

The chill was gone. But the emptiness remained. Hermione slowly opened her eyes. The dementor had taken back his position but he had left her with memories. Memories of the dreaded night that had her locked in Azkaban. Memories that had taken away every ounce of strength and happiness from her body. Memories that told her what the reality was. She let out a muffled sob. Yes, the reality… which said that she, Hermione granger, had killed Ron Weasley.

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** Yeah I am waiting. Go on kill me, curse me. Arrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhh. Sorry to all the Ron lovers. But I promise you I adore Ron Weasley too. So I won't disappoint all of you. There are huge secrets to be revealed. So probably Ron is not... Ha Ha! Wait and see. Oh yeah and don't worry this was not a dream which hermione had. It did happen and Hermione IS in Azkaban. Keep reading and please REVIEW - Luv Amber>**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.Though I would love to.Who wouldn't? But seriously, the credit for all the characters goes to J.K.Rowling. You are the best!**

**Hey everyone. I am back with the second and third chapter. well these two chapters aren't as fast paced as the first one. They are bit slow. So bear with me for now. **

**Thank you so much to all those who reviewed. They certainly made my day. I just hope the story will be upto all your expectations. But if it isn't then please feel free to let me know. Cause i am just hoping to improve my story with each chapter. And hopefully it will come out as i planned.**

**And as for the story behind Ron's death, the future chapters will have lots and lots of clues and a huge flashback which will explain a lot of things.**

**So anyways, keep reading. Have fun!**

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**Chapter 2**

_**Few months later……**_

"Happy Birthday to me," Harry muttered as he checked the clock.

It read 12:01 am.

Harry got out of his bed and went to his bathroom. He looked into the mirror and looked at the face that was staring at him. A pale, thin-skinned, bespectacled boy, with jet-black hair was staring at him. His expression was of pity, sympathy and sorrow.

"What are you looking at?" he asked the image.

**Happy birthday Harry.**

"Yeah thanks"

**You better be. I am probably the only one who will wish you today.**

Harry frowned at the image.

"That's not true"

**You know it is.**

"I am not in the mood for this"

**That's what you always say, Harry dear. Especially when it comes to facing reality.**

"I don't think I asked for you opinion"

**Do you think I have been torturing you all these days with your consent? Face it Harry you have nobody left in this world. You shouldn't have listened to that itsy bitsy girl in Azkaban.**

"Don't you dare talk like that about Hermione!"

**Imagine, if you had told everyone the truth, then you could have been happier. Even she would have been out of prison by now. But you had to be noble.**

"Shut up! You don't know what you are talking about"

He threw a bottle at the mirror. The mirror shattered loudly as the glass pieces fell down in front of him.

**Your life is like these glass pieces Harry. Shattered, broken, depressed…**

Harry closed his ears and ran out of the bathroom.

He sat down on his bed and looked at his bedside table.

**You shouldn't have listened to that itsy bitsy girl**

What would have happened if he had told everyone the truth?

Hermione looked at the wand in her hand.

"_Harry we can't tell this to anyone"_

"_What do you mean Hermione? How can we keep Ron's death a secret? Half the wizarding world must have already got the news. Plus you used…"_

"_Harry. I know" she interrupted._

"_I am sorry. I didn't mean …"_

"_I know," she said again. She paused and looked at him with pained eyes. _

_Harry felt like she had aged sixty years in half an hour. His face probably mirrored hers too. _

_Fresh tears fell down her cheeks. Harry reached to wipe them away. But she pushed his hands away gently and turned away from him._

"_Everyone loves" she paused and choked out a sob "loved Ron. We can't tell what he did to us to anyone."_

"_I don't understand. Hermione, what he made us face was cruel…"_

"_And we can't forget it that easily, I know. But he is de…" she shook her head not able to say those words. "He is no longer with us. There is no need for us to tell about him to anyone else."_

"_You are not making any sense, do you know that?" Harry put his hands on her shoulder and turned her face towards him. "This will certainly get you to Azkaban, Hermione, if we don't tell everyone the truth." He whispered softly_

_Hermione face paled and she looked down avoiding Harry's intense eyes. Harry put his hand under her chin and lifted her hesitant face._

"_Talk to me" he told her softly. _

"_Oh god Harry! What did I do?"_

_She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly and cried on his shoulders. _

"_I killed him. I killed him," she chanted as if waiting for the fact to sink in. _

"_I hate myself"_

"_Shh…shh…" he tried comforting her but it was of no use. "You had to. You didn't have a choice."_

"_We can't tell anyone Harry. Not till we find out what actually happened. He was our friend Harry. Not just for one year but seven whole years. If he betrayed us it wouldn't have been without a good reason."_

_Harry freed himself from her and pushed her away, not harshly but firmly._

"_I can't believe you are trying to justify his actions, Hermione. He was your boyfriend. Fine!" he spat out angrily. Hermione flinched at his sudden outburst. She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off._

"_He wanted to kill me, Hermione. And you want me to find out if it was genuine? What if I had died in there? What if you had not aimed the killing curse at him? Don't you realize I just escaped death? And it was all because of Ronald Weasley!" he stopped catching his breath. He couldn't believe he had actually said all that. It only proved his hatred for Ron. _

"_God Harry! Not everything revolves around you. I am talking about Ron. The Ron Weasley we knew and loved. I want to know why he did whatever he did." She grabbed at his shirt and looked at him, her eyes breathing fire and hope._

"_And how exactly are you planning to find that out?" Harry asked her, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Won't you be rotting in Azkaban?"_

_One look at her face and Harry immediately regretted saying those words. _

_Before he could say something, she slapped him. Right across his right cheek. He looked at her shocked._

"_Don't you dare talk to me like that again, Harry" she screamed. "I swear I will curse you. I saved your life if you remember." _

"_Hermione, listen, I shouldn't…" he reached for her but she took a step backward._

"_No, you listen Harry. You can't tell anyone and that's final. If you respect me or our friendship, you won't utter a word about this to any soul on earth and I mean it."_

_She turned to walk away but stopped and turned towards him._

"_I probably will never see you again. But you need to find out what exactly happened." Her features softened and she walked a little more closer to him. _

"_I know you can do it Harry. Do it for me Harry, Please"_

"_And what will I tell everyone. That we were playing police-thief and Hermione killed Ron for fun? " He spat out. He hated her stupid logic and her irritating emotional blackmails. "What if it was the truth? Are you planning to be in prison forever"_

"_It won't come to that," she told him confidently but he made a face and she winced. "Don't make us separate on a bitter note Harry. You will think of something to tell everyone. I know you will. I am waiting for the day you release me out of Azkaban"_

_Hermione reached for Harry's hands. They were cold and didn't respond to her touch._

_She squeezed them gently and pulled back her hands. _

"_Goodbye Harry. Miss me, will you."_

_He nodded slowly. He couldn't show his anger for Ron on Hermione. She was still his friend and she was still alive. Moreover, Hermione had undergone the same thing as him. Probably felt twice his pain. After all she had loved him more than Harry ever could. Maybe she had a point. Ron, who had always been there for him through thick and thin, could have never thought of letting him die unless… _

_It was up to him to complete that sentence. At least it was worth a try. He would probably do it for Hermione._

_He sighed and pulled the retreating Hermione back to him._

"_Hermione… how… you and Azkaban… how will you?" he stammered._

"_I trust you Harry. You will bring me out. You will get us justified. Soon. I am sure."_

"_Hermione. Don't go." He choked as he tried to hold back tears. "I will be so alone without you."_

"_You will manage. And so will I," she assured him uncertainly and hugged him._

_He hugged her back treasuring their friendship that stood strong right there._

"_I will do it Hermione," he whispered into her ears. " I will find the truth and till then I promise I wont tell anyone. But remember I am doing it only for you…" He paused as she released him. _

"_And for Ron" he completed._

_Hermione smiled. And they stood there for sometime just lost in their thoughts. _

_A chill swept through Hermione's body. She looked up and knew it was time. _

"_Goodbye Ron. Goodbye Harry."_

Harry wiped his tears. He had gone through the most painful times of his life. He had brought himself an apartment in a remote part of the town, away from the wizarding world. It was peaceful but lonely, which Harry hated to admit. He almost felt as though he had lost touch with magic and the wizarding world. In simple words, he had fled from it all, all that reminded him of that dreadful day.

Hermione was probably suffering four times his pain. The very thought of Azkaban filled his heart with dread and fear. How was she staying there? Was she even alive still?

Harry shook his head. That was a dreadful thought.

If she were dead he would have got the news in colorful vocabulary through the newspapers. He remembered the terrifying way the media had reacted to Ron's death. It was so tough not to scream when the whole world thought Hermione was a murderer and he was her accomplice. At that time he was so sure they would lock him up in Azkaban too. After all he had been in the scene.

"But you are the Boy Who Lived. Why will they arrest you for killing The Boy Who Died?" Ginny had snapped at him that day. Her voice had been of pure hatred and had shown no mercy.

A huge part of him wanted to tell her everything. But he wasn't sure how she would react and whether she would believe him. Moreover he had to fight this battle alone.

"For Ron and Hermione" he reminded himself.

He lay back down on his bed. It was high time he started investigating about this and he knew exactly where he could start. Hogwarts. The place where Ron had spent the best days of his life. Probably he might get some clues there. After all it was his birthday and it was certainly a good day to start. With that happy thought, Harry drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.Though I would love to.Who wouldn't? But seriously, the credit for all the characters goes to J.K.Rowling. You are the best!**

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**Chapter 3**

Hermione opened her eyes to the bright glare that was coming through a small hole in the wall. She frowned.

"Where is this light coming from?"

There had been no hole in her cell before. She tried getting up but sat back down. She felt so weak.

**You haven't eaten for two days.**

Her conscience reminded her.

"I can't eat. I am not able to."

**You have to be strong enough. You can't starve to death, Hermione. **

"I won't die," she thought firmly.

**Yeah right! You couldn't even get up just now. It is just a matter of few more days.**

"I am too depressed to eat."

**That's what the dementors want. You can't let it happen. **

She frowned. The dementors. How much she hated them. How can anyone be cruel enough to gain pleasure in torturing people?

**Well you were cruel enough to kill Ron.**

Hermione winced. Wasn't that true? She had been cruel, evil. She was a murderer.

No she couldn't let those thoughts take over.

"Focus on something else" she reminded herself.

The light. Where was this light coming from? As far as she knew Azkaban was the darkest place in the whole world. So then what was the source of this bright light? She looked over to the small portion of wall it was illuminating. She panicked suddenly. What if the dementors see the light? Wherever it came from, she was sure they would suspect her.

Probably she could sit hiding the wall. Would it be obvious then? But who had made this hole. No one could have come to her cell. Was it the dementors themselves? Or was the hole there before and she had not noticed it? It was really weird.

She reached out to touch the lit part of the wall. She could see her pale illuminated skin in the light. Suddenly she felt a sting and she immediately pulled her hand out.

She clutched her hands and flinched as the pain shot through her body like fire. Was it a trap? Had someone set her up? She bit her lip to prevent herself from shouting. She didn't want to attract the attention of the dementors. They were already making sure she died soon.

She lifted her hand to check it. She gasped as she looked at it. Words were forming on her hand. Tiny black letters were getting written on her hand. She rubbed them vigorously but they weren't vanishing.

Oh god! What was happening? What was this light and why was it having such an effect on her?

Instead of panicking she concentrated on what was written.

_**Firedrakes y salamanders**_

_**ayúdeme en mi búsqueda**_

_**protéjame de todas formas malas**_

_**Vuélvase la negatividad se mandando.**_

_**La sangre de mi sangre, usted espíritus del amor**_

_**Venga de debajo de y de arriba**_

**_Las entidades que adoran que me desean bien_**

_**Venga a este lugar, me salva de este infierno**_

Hermione frowned as the black ink stopped near her wrist. What exactly did it mean? She read it again this time, slowly. It sounded like a foreign language.

Firedrakes? Salamanders? Was it a spell? Why was it so huge? Probably I should read it aloud and see what happens.

**Be careful. What if someone is trying to kill you?**

"I am already dying. It won't make a difference."

**Well do whatever you do. But don't say that I didn't warn you.**

"I am not worried. Moreover magic spells don't work in Azkaban. If they did then people would have escaped or died, as you say, long ago."

Hermione took a deep breath. Whatever it was, it was worth a try.

"**_Firedrakes y salamanders_**

_**ayúdeme en mi búsqueda**_

_**protéjame de todas formas malas**_

_**Vuélvase la negatividad se mandando.**_

_**La sangre de mi sangre, usted espíritus del amor**_

_**Venga de debajo de y de arriba**_

**_Las entidades que adoran que me desean bien_**

_**Venga a este lugar, me salva de este infierno"**_

She sighed. Nothing happened. No blinding light, no bangs, no sound, nothing. It was stupid of her to expect something to happen. After all she was in Azkaban.

She slung back into the darkness and closed her eyes. How she wished she were with Harry right now. He was probably as alone as she was. She wondered if everything was all right with him. Suddenly she felt a jolt. As though someone had punched her from behind.

"What the…" she turned back, scared, to see who was there.

It was as empty as ever.

"Who is…" she was cut short by another hit. This one right on top of her head.

She clutched her head as she felt the pain sink in. What was happening? She panicked looking everywhere. But all she saw was the same dingy, dark cell. Who was there? Why was it hitting her?

She waited for another hit, preparing herself so that she could see who was doing it. Nothing happened but instead she felt a sharp pain shoot up from her spinal cord to her head. She clutched her head, screaming with pain.

What was wrong? Was she going to die? Panic settled in as the thought overcame her. Her eyes were watering and her vision was getting blurred. She clutched her stomach crying with pain. She felt as though her body was being ripped open. The whole cell seemed to be spinning, faster and faster, each second. She clutched the walls of the cell tightly as she felt the ground on which she was standing shake a bit. A sudden chill swept through her body and she felt as though that was her end. Weakness and fear took over her. Her legs gave way and Hermione screamed loudly one last time as her head hit the hard ground.

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**So what do you all think? Was it any good? Or was it really boring to sit through? I know the two chapters are quite slow but I couldn't reveal a lot in the beginning few chapters itself.**

**As for the light and its weirdness... You have to wait for the next chapter. **

**And the verse that Hermione read was in Spanish. Actually I had originally written it in english and translated it into Spanish to make it more interesting. But I am not really well versed in Spanish so I used an online language translator, so I hope the grammar is all correct. I think my little knowledge says that it makes sense. If you know Spanish probably you are at an advantage and probably you can tell me if the verse translates as I think it does. But then again, I made sure the verse doesn't reveal too much so that doesn't place the others at a disadvantage either.Yeah it will certainly be translated in the forthcoming chapters and I will also explain its significance. So long then! Please REVIEW, cause I want to know how you guys feel about this one. Ciao...Till the next update... Bye! **


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